


Harder to Hold

by irlenolacroix



Category: Smile For Me (Video Game)
Genre: AU, Alcohol, Alternate Universe, Cowboys, First Dance, First Meetings, M/M, One Shot, The Smilin' West AU, anyways. i love these two. fuck, theyre gay. theyre oh so very gay., think of this as a preview for the multichapter fic that's coming up, this will probably be part of a chapter in it tbh
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-27
Updated: 2020-05-27
Packaged: 2021-03-02 18:09:02
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,393
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24411085
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/irlenolacroix/pseuds/irlenolacroix
Summary: Kamal's been on the road for days now, huntin' down Doc Habit and finding dead ends at every turn. He'll admit he's getting frustrated. Maybe a much-needed drink at the saloon will do him good.For context on this AU, check out my tumblr, winemomparker, and read through my tag for "the smilin' west".
Relationships: Kamal Bora/Dr. Boris Habit
Comments: 8
Kudos: 38





	Harder to Hold

Kamal was a little bit tipsy. Not too much, didn’t want to do something stupid, but a little bit. 

He’d stopped in the unfamiliar saloon for a much-needed drink after what felt like months of searching, but in reality was probably only a week or so. Wallus had headed back to town the day before, said he’d been gone too long and someone needed to keep an eye out for any trouble back home. Kamal had stayed on the road. He didn’t have much of a choice. He sure as hell wasn’t gonna let the frustration win and give up now. He was so close to Doc Habit. He had to be.

When he’d gotten to the saloon, though, he found he was closer than he’d thought.

There was a big guy standing at the end of the bar, leaning against it, gazing out over the main floor. People were drinking and dancing, but the man didn’t seem to be partaking in either, at least not until the barkeep brought him another whiskey. He didn’t seem to notice Kamal come in. Nobody did. Kamal tread carefully, but none of the floorboards squeaked. The big man with the long, curly hair and the lily-embroidered shirt didn’t look at him. He just picked up his glass and sipped, and Kamal couldn’t help but follow the line of the scar on his face and rest on his lips.

He had to say, he’d never expected Doc Habit to be quite so handsome.

Kamal didn’t pay attention to what drink he ordered. Probably just said “bourbon” and when the barkeep asked what kind, he just waved his hand. He tried not to look too long at Doc Habit, but it was difficult when he was just a few feet away. Should he… arrest him? No, no, not here, not now, he didn’t even have confirmation that it was him yet… But it was  _ definitely _ him, no doubt about it, had the scar and the crooked jaw and the long curly hair (damn, his hair looked soft, Kamal wondered what it would feel like between his fingers), he ought to just go for it. But no… No, Kamal thought as he took a sip of his drink, it wouldn’t be right to do it here and now. He could wait. Talk to him a bit first.

_ Talk to him? The hell are you thinking, Bora? You fuckin’ crazy? _ he thought to himself, finishing his first drink and immediately ordering another. He should just arrest the guy, get his cash and get it over with! But… damn, he had real pretty eyes, Kamal thought as he finished his second drink, and he hadn’t seen hands quite so nice in his life, nor arms like that…

“You got somethin’ to say, partner?”

Kamal choked on the last of his third bourbon and realized he had no clue how long he’d been here. He also didn’t remember being quite so close to Doc Habit. Had he gone over to him? Or had Doc Habit come closer? Shit, was this even his third bourbon? He may as well be on his sixth, the way his head was swimming. He looked up to see Doc Habit gazing down at him, almost seeming amused with Kamal’s sputtering, and tried to get some words out.

“Well--ah--” Kamal said, swallowing what was in his mouth and trying to get back what composure he had. “Sorry. Didn’t mean to stare. Real disrespectful of me, just… Ain’t seen you around these parts before.” He sure as hell hoped his cover wasn’t blown… Maybe Doc Habit would think he was a local.

Doc Habit hummed. He didn’t seem to recognize Kamal, and Kamal relaxed a bit at that. “Suppose that’s a good reason to be curious,” Doc Habit said, clearing his throat and leaning against the counter. His voice was deep, like the canyons out west. “I ain’t from around here, that’s for sure. You live near here?”

Kamal hesitated. “...Little bit outta town,” he said after a moment, deciding it wasn’t too bad of a lie. “Ain’t a regular in here by any means. Just needed a night outta the house.”

Doc Habit let out a rumbling chuckle. “I gotcha,” he said, and Kamal saw the missing teeth in his smile. “Well, I’m sorry to bother you. I’ll get outta your hair. Got places to be. Spent too long in this town already.”

Kamal’s heart jumped as Doc Habit straightened as if to leave, and before he could think twice about it his mouth was open. “Wait up, now!”

Doc Habit looked back at Kamal. “Mm?”

Kamal’s face was red, he was sure of it, and for a moment he panicked, unsure of what to say. As if on cue, though, the man at the piano slowed his tune, playing a slower beat that pressed the few couples out and about together, and Kamal swallowed before speaking again. “You… wanna dance before you go?”

Doc Habit stared, and for a moment Kamal was terrified that he’d made a mistake. The only response he got, though, was a shy grin and a shake of the head. “Sorry to disappoint, but I don’t really know how.”

Kamal’s eyebrows rose a little. “What?” he said with a chuckle, nudging Doc Habit with his elbow. “Ain’t nobody ever taught a big, bad cowboy like you how to slow dance?”

Doc Habit’s face flushed at the teasing. He averted his eyes, tipping his hat down slightly so as to cover them in shadow. “Can’t say anybody has,” he said, shifting so he wasn’t facing Kamal. “Ain’t real keen on learnin’ neither. Always trip over my own feet, anyhow.”

“Aw, come on,” Kamal said. “I’ve got a pal with legs ‘bout your size and he’s got more rhythm than I do. C’mon, let’s get you out on the floor. Tryin’ isn’t gonna kill ya, now, is it, big guy?”

He reached out a hand, and was surprised that it didn’t shake when Doc Habit reluctantly took it.

The steps were a bit clumsy at first. Doc Habit didn’t look at Kamal’s face, just his feet, attempting to follow them and pointedly not holding too tightly to his waist. But Kamal was feeling a bit bold, and he kept himself close to Doc Habit, trying his best not to think about the repercussions of what he was doing.  _ Just one dance _ , he thought,  _ and I’ll get him tomorrow. I’m just gettin’ to know the guy. It ain’t too deep. It’s one dance. _

And despite the awkward missteps and shy laughter, it was probably the best dance of Kamal’s life.

Doc Habit’s eyes were so gorgeous when the light caught them. Kamal couldn’t help but imagine what his face would look like in the sunshine, without his hat to obscure it.

The song ended all too quickly, and Kamal and Doc Habit let go of each other about the same time. Doc Habit finally looked at Kamal’s face. He smiled a little, and it reached his eyes. He had dimples, Kamal noticed. Real sweet ones. Fit in nicely among his freckles.

“Well…” Doc Habit cleared his throat and shook his head a little, tipping his hat to Kamal. “I oughta get going.” He hesitated, then reached out to shake Kamal’s hand. “Thank you for the dance, Mr. Bora. I won’t soon forget it.”

Kamal was about to respond when he realized what he’d just heard. But before he could say anything, Doc Habit was out the door.

Kamal ran. He slipped a bit on the saloon floor, but didn’t let that stop him from reaching the porch. “Hey!” he called out as Doc Habit mounted his horse. “Hey, the hell are you goin’, Doc? The hell are you gonna do next?”

Doc Habit looked up at Kamal, and his face looked just as nice as Kamal had imagined in the glow of the rising moon. “Ain’t goin’ nowhere you can’t follow,” he said with a wink. “You just gotta keep up with me, y’hear? Just gotta keep up.”

With that, he rode off, and Kamal could do nothing but stare after him. His waist was still warm from where Doc Habit had touched it. The traces of bourbon burned in his chest, and the sound of a galloping horse faded with the light of day.

**Author's Note:**

> hello! i wrote this in maybe two hours instead of working on school, and i think that's very valid of me. anyways. these two are gay and that's all there is to it
> 
> think of this fic as a preview for my multichapter official smilin' west fic that i've been working on! this will probably be used as a scene in the finished fic, so it's sort of a sneak peek into their dynamics for that one. it's pretty short, but i'm proud of it!
> 
> the title of this fic is a reference to the song "mammas, don't let your babies grow up to be cowboys" by waylon jennings.
> 
> my tumblr is winemomparker! check my "the smilin' west" tag for more background and context on this AU. feel free to create your own smilin' west works, just be sure to credit me for the AU when you do!
> 
> kudos and comments are much appreciated! thank you all so much!


End file.
